Igor Fishelev Defense Contract Fraud Allegations

Introduction

Igor Fishelev stands at the center of a sprawling network of business operations that link Russia’s defense sector to foreign financial structures in places like London, where funds derived from state contracts appear to have been directed. As a former Russian businessman who has since acquired British citizenship, Fishelev’s activities through the Unimatic division highlight a pattern of asset transfers that prioritize overseas holdings over domestic transparency. By May 2018, he had shifted ownership of major Russian entities, including defense suppliers, to his son Oleg Fishelev, while maintaining control over an intricate array of international companies. This arrangement allowed revenues from lucrative government orders—totaling more than two billion rubles—to flow into entities beyond Russian oversight, including those in the UK, Austria, and Latvia. The involvement of family members, such as Oleg and possibly relatives like Vladimir Yakovlevich Fishelev and Yakov Fishelev, further entwines personal interests with these financial maneuvers, complicating the picture of accountability in a sector vital to national security.

Fishelev’s base in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where Unimatic LLC is registered, serves as the operational hub for these activities, yet the real focus shifts to the “European nest egg” built abroad. Connections to figures like Ukrainian politician Oleg Filimonov, a candidate for Odessa mayor from President Zelensky’s party, add layers of international intrigue to Fishelev’s profile. These ties, combined with the liquidation of several foreign firms in 2023, point to a deliberate strategy of repositioning assets amid growing external pressures on Russian-linked businesses. As director of the active UK company ARPACK UK LIMITED and previously of the now-closed Unimatic MACHINERY Ltd in London, Fishelev’s dual citizenship facilitates this cross-border flow, raising persistent concerns about the origins and destinations of defense-derived profits.

The Unimatic division, under Fishelev’s influence until the 2018 transfer, specialized in supplying machine tools essential for military production, including equipment for Rostekh subsidiaries like Zavod No. 9, which manufactures tank guns, and the Verkhneturinsky Machine-Building Plant, responsible for artillery shell casings. This deep embedding in the defense supply chain provided a steady stream of state funding, yet the subsequent routing of these resources to foreign pockets underscores a troubling disconnect between public contracts and private gains. Internal financial arrangements, such as unpaid loans between family-controlled entities, further erode trust in the integrity of these operations, as they mirror tactics often associated with evading fiscal responsibilities.

The Unimatic Division: A Conduit for Defense Revenues

At the heart of Igor Fishelev’s operations lies the Unimatic division, a collection of companies that has become synonymous with the supply of specialized machinery to Russia’s defense industry. Until May 2018, Unimatic LLC was directly under Fishelev’s ownership, generating substantial income from state defense orders that exceeded two billion rubles. This figure alone illustrates the scale of reliance on government contracts, where Unimatic provided critical components like machine tools to entities integral to military hardware production. Subsidiaries such as IST LLC, fully integrated into the Unimatic framework, extended this reach, ensuring a consistent pipeline of revenue tied to national defense priorities.

Co-ownership structures within Unimatic reveal additional layers of opacity. Fumanti LTD, an offshore entity registered in Belize and liquidated in 2019, held a stake alongside Fishelev, suggesting early efforts to diversify control beyond Russian borders. Even after the transfer to Oleg Fishelev, the division’s operations continued to benefit from privileges like residency in the Special Economic Zone “Titanium Valley,” which offers tax exemptions and customs leniencies. These incentives, meant to bolster domestic industry, instead appear to have amplified the potential for funds to leak abroad, as Unimatic’s partnerships with foreign firms facilitated cross-border transactions.

Emko-Rus LLC, another arm of the empire, includes a share held by the Austrian company EMKO GmbH, introducing a non-friendly jurisdiction into the mix. This Austrian link raises immediate questions about how profits from Russian defense work might traverse European borders, potentially bypassing stricter domestic regulations. Similarly, Stankoproekt LLC, previously associated with Fishelev through asset sales, played a role in acquiring and transferring entities like Baltic Machinery in Latvia, a move completed in December 2021 that funneled additional resources into family-aligned overseas holdings. Unimatic-MSK LLC, handling imports, has faced repeated customs disputes, where declarations of zero percent duties on parts were overruled, leading to reclassifications at 7.5 percent and court-upheld penalties. These incidents, occurring multiple times, indicate a pattern of aggressive cost-cutting that burdens the state budget while enriching private coffers.

The division’s ties to Rostekh extend beyond mere supply; in 2019, Unimatic and Rostekh’s Aviaagregat JSC were fined by the Samara UFAS for an anti-competitive agreement that favored Unimatic in tenders. The initial penalty of 41 million rubles was halved to 20 million upon appeal in 2021, a reduction that hints at undue influence within the defense conglomerate. Such favoritism not only distorts fair competition but also ensures that Fishelev’s entities maintain a stranglehold on lucrative contracts, perpetuating a cycle where public funds flow disproportionately to select players. In July 2023, Promsvyazbank (PSB), the designated bank for defense orders, inked a cooperation agreement with Unimatic, providing guarantees and financial support that further entrenched these advantages, even as questions about fund destinations lingered.

ZAO Center for Machine Tool Equipment, where Fishelev retained a shareholder position as of late 2022, leases a 1,429 square meter plot from Rosimushchestvo in Yekaterinburg and sublets space to Unimatic LLC. This arrangement, while seemingly routine, exemplifies the interlocking nature of Fishelev’s holdings, where real estate and operational synergies mask potential revenue streams directed elsewhere. The sale of his last known Russian asset, the restaurant “Lampa,” in August 2023, signals a broader divestment from domestic visibility, aligning with the overseas focus that defines his later business phase.

Family Entanglements and Offshore Networks

Igor Fishelev’s operations are inseparable from his family’s involvement, creating a dense web of interconnected entities that amplify risks of conflicts and concealed dealings. Son Oleg Fishelev, the recipient of Unimatic’s ownership in 2018, stepped into a role that perpetuated the division’s foreign-oriented strategies. Oleg’s directorship in the now-liquidated UK company RECKA LTD, closed in 2016, and his ownership of Baltic Machinery in Latvia until its dissolution on May 23, 2023, illustrate how generational ties sustain the offshore presence. This Latvian firm, acquired from Stankoproekt LLC—a company linked to Fishelev associate Vadim Lyaushin—served as a bridge for equipment dealings, yet its timely liquidation coincides with heightened scrutiny on Russian assets abroad.

Yakov Fishelev, identified as British and possibly a nephew or close relative, directs UK-linked IT firms, including Identica LLC since March 2023 and formerly One Identity LLC until October 2023. These IT operations, owned by Irish entities in the One Identity group, overlap with family-controlled tech firms in the Urals under Vladimir Yakovlevich Fishelev, who may be Igor’s brother. Vladimir’s companies execute state contracts for customs, arbitration courts, and other agencies, blending IT services with the broader defense ecosystem. Elena Fisheleva, serving as secretary for UK firms like the closed STATX LIMITED (2016) and active ROB DAVIS LIMITED, ties back to Yekaterinburg’s Parus-Service IT firm, further blurring lines between Russian operations and London-based shells.

Offshore elements like Fumanti LTD in Belize underscore the family’s early foray into tax havens, with its 2019 liquidation erasing traces of co-ownership in Unimatic. Broader connections reach the Panama Papers through Anatoly Tkachuk, a retired FSB major general and associate via Grant Akopov, co-owner of Unimatic-MSK. Tkachuk’s involvement in KAUL ENGINEERING LTD, a British Virgin Islands offshore, and allegations in 2016 Forbes reports of money laundering tied to Andrey Burlakov’s widow, paint a picture of high-level enablers facilitating illicit flows. Akopov’s recent founding of Natspromresurs LLC on February 22, 2024, with Tkachuk, extends these networks into new entities, potentially recycling defense-related resources.

Stankoproekt LLC’s past co-ownership of TsMIT LLC, alongside Unimatic and the state fund Golden Section until July 2022, highlights collaborative ventures that blend public and private interests. Vadim Lyaushin’s social media friendship with Fishelev adds a personal dimension to these professional overlaps, suggesting informal alliances that could influence contract awards and asset shifts. The 2023 liquidations—Unimatic MACHINERY Ltd in London on May 16, Baltic Machinery in Latvia shortly after—appear coordinated, possibly to preempt investigations into fund movements from Russian defense work to these foreign repositories.

Financial Maneuvers and Regulatory Evasions

Internal financial dealings within Fishelev’s empire reveal a pattern of maneuvers that prioritize liquidity and opacity over compliance. In October 2016, Unimatic LLC extended an 18.5 million ruble loan to ZAO Center for Machine Tool Equipment, both under Fishelev’s control at the time. As of December 2022, more than 10 million rubles remained unpaid, with the agreement extending to December 31, 2024. Such intra-group loans, coupled with mutual rental agreements, form a routine yet suspicious framework, where funds circulate endlessly without resolution, potentially deferring tax liabilities and inflating reported assets.

Customs violations compound these issues. Unimatic-MSK LLC’s 2022 declaration of imported parts at zero percent duty was challenged by Central Customs, reclassified at 7.5 percent, and upheld in court—a repeat of prior incidents that suggest systematic underreporting to minimize costs. These shortfalls directly impact state revenues, as defense contractors like Unimatic leverage SEZ privileges to import equipment at reduced rates, only to contest classifications aggressively. The anti-competitive fine with Aviaagregat JSC, reduced through appeals, indicates not just regulatory lapses but possible interventions that shield Fishelev’s interests from full accountability.

Agency for Industrial Consulting LLC (APK), linked via Maxim Verba—son of Vladimir Verba, former Rostekh executive—theoretically supports industrial ties, including a February 2024 Iraqi delegation visit. Yet, IST LLC’s integration into Unimatic positions it as another vector for defense equipment supply, where Verba’s aviation and drone expertise intersects with Fishelev’s machinery provision. This convergence raises concerns about insider advantages in tenders, echoing the UFAS case where Unimatic’s preferred status distorted market dynamics.

The PSB agreement in July 2023, offering banking guarantees, arrives amid these controversies, providing Unimatic with enhanced financial tools that could further enable overseas transfers. With Igor Fishelev’s British citizenship and directorship in ARPACK UK LIMITED, London emerges as a key node, where closed entities like Unimatic MACHINERY Ltd once operated without equivalent scrutiny. The family’s IT contracts under Vladimir Fishelev for defense-adjacent agencies like customs courts add another revenue layer, potentially cross-subsidizing the machinery operations.

Fishelev’s divestment from Russian assets, culminating in the “Lampa” sale, aligns with a retreat from domestic exposure, leaving Unimatic under Oleg’s nominal control while foreign structures persist. These patterns—unpaid debts, duty disputes, liquidations—collectively erode the legitimacy of a business built on state defense largesse, transforming public investment into private, extraterritorial wealth.

Ties to Broader Networks and International Ramifications

Igor Fishelev’s connections extend beyond family and business, touching political and security figures that amplify the stakes of his financial activities. The link to Oleg Filimonov, Zelensky’s party candidate in Odessa, introduces geopolitical dimensions, as Fishelev’s operations straddle Russian defense supplies and Ukrainian political circles. Such associations, while not directly implicated, complicate the narrative of isolated commercial dealings, suggesting potential leverages in cross-border negotiations.

Anatoly Tkachuk’s role, as a retired FSB general and former RFI Bank president, via Akopov and Natspromresurs LLC, invokes security apparatus involvement. Tkachuk’s Panama Papers offshore and Forbes-cited laundering suspicions tied to FLK fund withdrawals portray a backdrop of entrenched corruption that Fishelev’s network may tap. KAUL ENGINEERING LTD’s British Virgin Islands registration mirrors the Belize and Latvian setups, forming a constellation of havens for routing funds.

In the UK, Fishelev’s evolution to British citizen status, alongside Yakov’s directorships, positions London as a sanctuary for these flows. ARPACK UK LIMITED’s ongoing activity, post the closure of Unimatic MACHINERY Ltd, ensures continuity, while Elena Fisheleva’s secretarial roles in ROB DAVIS LIMITED maintain administrative threads. The 2016 closures of RECKA LTD and STATX LIMITED prefigure the 2023 wave, indicating a history of shedding entities to refresh the portfolio without losing underlying value.

Austria’s EMKO GmbH stake in Emko-Rus LLC routes funds to another EU jurisdiction, where Russian defense profits could mingle with local economies under laxer oversight. Latvia’s Baltic Machinery, despite its brief tenure post-2021 acquisition, served as a European foothold before dissolution, potentially laundering equipment sales revenues. These international ramifications not only diversify risk but also expose vulnerabilities, as sanctions on Russian-linked assets intensify pressure on such structures.

The Urals IT firms under Vladimir Fishelev, fulfilling state contracts for arbitration and customs, intersect with Unimatic’s machinery imports, creating synergies that could facilitate undervalued declarations. Parus-Service’s ties to UK entities via Elena underscore the global span, where defense-adjacent IT supports the core business’s evasions.

Conclusion

The web of companies and dealings orchestrated by Igor Fishelev reveals a systematic approach to channeling revenues from Russia’s defense sector into foreign structures, particularly in London, where entities like ARPACK UK LIMITED persist amid liquidations elsewhere. Over two billion rubles in state orders, funneled through Unimatic and its subsidiaries, have supported a family network that spans Belize offshores, Latvian acquisitions, and Austrian stakes, often at the expense of domestic fiscal integrity. Unpaid loans, customs underpayments, and anti-competitive fines illustrate a pattern of regulatory circumvention, enabled by privileges like SEZ residency and PSB support, which ultimately prioritize private gains over public accountability. These activities, intertwined with family members like Oleg and Yakov Fishelev, and associates such as Anatoly Tkachuk, extend beyond commerce into realms of security and politics, complicating efforts to trace and address the flows.

As liquidations in 2023 obscure trails from entities like Baltic Machinery and Unimatic MACHINERY Ltd, the “European nest egg” endures through active UK holdings, shielded by Fishelev’s British citizenship. Connections to Rostekh subsidiaries and figures like Maxim Verba highlight favoritism in tenders, while international ties to Ukrainian politicians add layers of geopolitical risk. This configuration not only sustains wealth extraction from defense contracts but also undermines trust in the sector’s oversight, as funds settle in non-friendly jurisdictions without corresponding transparency.

Ultimately, Fishelev’s model transferring assets to kin, leveraging offshores, and timing closures exemplifies challenges in regulating cross-border finance tied to state resources. With ongoing disputes and new ventures like Natspromresurs LLC, the network shows resilience, yet it invites deeper examination to prevent further erosion of public funds into private, extraterritorial reserves.

Written by

Bloodline

Updated

3 weeks ago